This invention relates to a connector for use in electric and electronic appliances such as mobile or cellular phones, notebook personal computers, digital cameras and the like, and more particularly to a connector having a structure enabling a stable electrical connection without contacts being warped or deformed when a pivoting member is being pivotally moved after a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable has been inserted, ensuring sufficient holding forces for the flexible printed circuit board, and achieving a reduced overall height of the connector and a high density of conductors.
A connector usually includes at least a plurality of contacts, a housing for arranging and holding the contacts, and a pivoting member mounted on the housing to be pivotally moved so that the contacts are elastically deformed so as to be in contact with a connecting object. The contacts each include a contact portion adapted to contact the connecting object, and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate. The housing is formed with a required number of inserting holes for inserting the contacts therein and with a fitting opening for inserting the connecting object thereinto. The pivoting member includes pushing portions for elastically deforming the contacts.
Patent literatures incorporated herein are Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160) disclosing a rear locking type connector, Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987) disclosing a feature of inserting two contacts into one inserting hole of a housing, and Patent Literature 3 (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067) and Patent Literature 4 (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271) using locking members similar in construction to contacts of the rear locking type, these being filed by the applicant of the present application.
Patent Literature 1
According to the content of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160, this invention has an object to provide a connector being capable of securely pushing a contact portions 22 of contacts 14 against flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable by means of a slider 16 without degrading strengths of respective members and required specifications or customers demands, and achieving a superior operationality, narrower pitches of conductors and a reduced overall height. Disclosed is a connector comprising contacts 14 each having a contact portion 22, a connection portion 24, and an elastic portion 34 and a fulcrum portion 32 between the contact portion 22 and the connection portion 24, and a pressure receiving portion 20 extending from the elastic portion 34 in a position facing to the connection portion 24, and the contact portion 22,elastic portion 34, fulcrum portion 32 and connection portion 24 being arranged in the form of a crank, and a slider 16 comprising pushing portions 36 arranged continuously in the longitudinal direction and the slider 16 being pivotally mounted on a housing 12 so that the pushing portions 36 are pivotally movable between the connection portions 22 and pressure receiving portions 20 of the contacts 14.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160 disclosed a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for pushing said contacts against said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, wherein said contacts each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion and located in a position facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of said contacts. Claim 2 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for pushing said contacts against said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, wherein two kinds of contacts are arranged to be alternately staggered, the contacts of one kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in a position facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in the opposite direction from the contact portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the other kind and said housing. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein when the pushing portions of said slider are pivotally moved between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of said contacts of the one kind, said pressure receiving portions are raised by the pushing portions so that said elastic portions are tilted about said fulcrum portions toward said contact portions to push said contact portions against said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure receiving portions of said contacts of the one kind or the other kind are each provided at the tip with an extended portion so that the pushing portions of said slider are prevented from moving toward the connection portions of said contacts of the one kind. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pushing portions of said slider are of an elongated shape. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein said slider is formed with a required number of anchoring holes independent from one another, which are adapted to engage the extended portions of said contacts, respectively. Claim 7 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein the elongated shape of said pushing portions is elliptical. Claim 8 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein said contacts of the one kind are each provided with a further contact portion at a location extending from the fulcrum portion and adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 9 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein said contacts of the other kind are each provided with an extension portion extending from said fulcrum in the opposite direction from the connection portion, and said slider is mounted on said housing so that the pushing portions of said slider are pivotally movable between the extension portions and the pressure receiving portions. Claim 10 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein said contacts of the other kind are each further provided between the fulcrum portion and the connection portion with a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
Patent Literature 2
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987, this invention has an object to provide a connector enabling narrow pitches and being used with a flexible printed circuit board having contact portions on both surfaces. Disclosed is a connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion 52 adapted to contact a flexible printed circuit board 22, and a housing 12 for holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening 24 for inserting the flexible printed circuit board 22, wherein when the flexible printed circuit board 22 has contact portions 52 on both front and rear surfaces, contacts 14 and 16 of two kinds are used in a manner such that the contacts 14 of one kind are inserted into the housing from the opposite side of the fitting opening 24 so as to permit their contact portions 30 to contact the contact portions 52 on the front surface of the circuit board 22, and the contacts 16 of the other kind are inserted into the housing 12 from the side of the fitting opening 24 so as to permit their contact portions 20 to contact the contact portions 52 on the rear surface of the circuit board 22.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board, wherein when the flexible printed circuit board has contact portions on both front and rear surfaces, contacts of two kinds are used in a manner such that the contacts of one kind are inserted into the housing from the opposite side of the fitting opening so as to permit their contact portions to contact the contact portions on the front surface of the circuit board, and the contacts of the other kind are inserted into the housing from the side of the fitting opening so as to permit their contact portions to contact the contact portions on the rear surface of the circuit board. Claim 2 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of contacts are formed by two contacts of the two kinds and arranged so that their contact portions are facing to each other so as to embrace said flexible printed board by the opposite contact portions of the respective pairs. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact portions of the pairs of contacts are staggered with respect to the longitudinal direction. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing is provided with a recess on the side of said fitting opening for conducting said flexible printed circuit board, the contacts of the other kind are arranged such that their connection portions do not extend from the recess of said housing. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 4, wherein in order to form a zero insertion-force (ZIF) structure which does not require a force when said flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the housing, a slider is used which is pushed against the contacts after said flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into the housing. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein the contacts of the one kind each includes an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion at a location facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kinds each includes a contact portion and a connection portion and are so arranged that their connection portions are in the recess of said housing, and wherein said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and said slider is mounted on said housing so as to permit said pushing portions to be pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind.
Patent Literature 3
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067, the object of this invention is to provide a connector 10 ensuring a required holding force for a flexible printed circuit board 22 without any defective or failed connection even with less conductors. Disclosed is a connector 10 detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board 22, including a required number of contacts 14 each having a contact portion 30 adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board 22, and a housing 12 holding and fixing the contacts 14 and having a fitting opening 24 into which the flexible printed circuit board 22 is inserted, wherein the circuit board 22 is provided with anchoring portions 54, and locking members 20 each having an engaging portion 56 adapted to engage said anchoring portion 54 of the circuit board are installed into the housing 12 so that the engaging portions 56 of the locking members 20 are caused to engage the anchoring portions 54 of the circuit board 22, thereby preventing the circuit board 22 from being removed from the housing 12, and grooves 57 are provided at positions corresponding to said engaging portions 56 to ensure a more reliable locking.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion to contact said flexible printed circuit board, and a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and locking members each having an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion of said circuit board are installed in said housing so that the engaging portions of said locking members are caused to engage the anchoring portions of said circuit board, thereby preventing the circuit board from being removed from said housing. Claim 2 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein grooves are provided at locations facing to said engaging portions. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said locking members are each provided with a connection portion for connecting to the circuit board so that the connection portions serve to fix the locking members to the circuit board. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein in order to form a zero insertion-force (ZIF) structure which does not require a force when said flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the fitting opening of said housing, a slider is used which is pushed against said contacts after said flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into the housing, and the engaging portions of said locking members are caused to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board when the circuit board is pushed against said contacts by said slider. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said grooves are provided in a manner such that flat portions of said engaging portions engage said anchoring portions when the engaging portions of said locking portions engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing is provided on the side of said fitting opening with a recess for conducting said flexible printed circuit board, and said contacts are so arranged in said housing that the connection portions of said contacts do not extend out of the recess of said housing. Claim 7 recites the connector claimed in claim 6, wherein contacts of two kinds are arranged to be staggered so that connection portions of the contacts of the one kind are arranged on the opposite side of the fitting opening of said housing, and connection portions of the contacts of the other kind and of said locking members are arranged so as not to extend from the recess of said housing. Claim 8 recites the connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contacts of the one kind each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and an extension portion extending from said elastic portion at a location facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kind each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in the opposite direction from the contact portion, and an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion to be facing to the pressure receiving portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and the contacts of the other kind are arranged so that said connection portions are within the recess of said housing, and wherein said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction, and said slider is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions and the extension portions of the contacts of the other kind. Claim 9 recites the connector claimed in claim 8, wherein said locking members are the same in construction as the contacts of the other kind.
Patent Literature 4
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271, this invention has an object to provide a connector ensuring a stable holding force for a flexible printed circuit board, even the connector having a small number of conductors, without causing defective or failed connection, and achieving a more reduced overall height of the connector. Disclosed is a connector for achieving this object, wherein a flexible printed circuit board 80 is provided with anchoring portions 82, locking members each includes a first piece 20 having at one end an engaging portion 24 adapted to engage the anchoring portion 82, at the other end a pressure receiving portion 26 to be pushed by a pivoting member, and an extended portion 34 inwardly extending from the tip of the pressure receiving portion 26, a second piece 22 having at one end a connection portion 30 to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion 32 for jointing the first piece 20 and the other end of the second piece 22, and the locking members are installed in the housing 12 so that when the pivoting member 16 is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions 24 of the locking members 18 to engage the anchoring portions 82 of the flexible printed circuit board 82, there are not the second pieces 22 at locations facing to the engaging portions 24, and the housing 12 is provided with notches 42 at locations corresponding to the locking members 18.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), including a plurality of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, locking members adapted to engage said flexible printed circuit board, and a pivoting member for elastically deforming said contacts and said locking members, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and said locking members each comprise a first piece having at one end an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion extending inwardly from a tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end or the other end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion for jointing said first piece and the other end or one end of said second piece, and wherein said locking members are installed in said housing, and said housing is provided with notches at locations corresponding to said locking members on the side of the upper surface of said housing. Claim 2 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), including a plurality of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, locking members adapted to engage said flexible printed circuit board, and a pivoting member for elastically deforming said contacts and said locking members, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and said locking members each comprise a first piece having at one end an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion extending inwardly from a tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion for jointing said first piece and the other end of said second piece, and wherein said locking members are installed in said housing, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions of said locking members to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board, there are not said second pieces at locations facing to said engaging portions. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein the height of said second pieces is 0.08 to 0.12 mm. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said second pieces are each provided with an extension portion extending from said jointing fulcrum portion in a direction so as to face to said engaging portion, said extension portion being shorter than the engaging portion of said first piece so that the extension portion does not come to a position facing to said engaging portion when said pivoting member is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions of said locking members to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking members are each provided with a fixing portion between the tip of the extension portion of said second piece and said jointing fulcrum portion. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion inwardly extending from the tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate and at the other end an extension portion extending from a fulcrum portion, and a jointing portion for jointing said first piece and the fulcrum portion of said second piece, and said contact portion, said jointing portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and, wherein said pivoting member comprises an actuating member for pivotally moving it, pushing portions provided continuously in the longitudinal direction, and anchoring holes for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said contacts and said locking members, and said pivoting member is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the pressure receiving portions and the extension portions of said contacts and between the pressure receiving portions and the connection portions of said locking members.
With the so-called rear-locking type connectors (pivotally moving a pivoting member on the opposite side of the fitting opening to push contacts against a connecting object) such as those disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4, when the pushing portions of a pivoting member are pivotally moved between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts after a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the fitting opening of a housing, the pressure receiving portions are raised upwardly (lifted upwardly) by the pushing portions so that elastic portions of the contacts are tilted toward contact portions about fulcrum portions of the contacts, whereby the contact portions are pushed against the connecting object such as the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to bring the contact portions of the contacts into contact with the connecting object.
With the so-called rear locking type connectors as disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4, when the pressure receiving portions are pushed by the pushing portions of the pivoting member, the pressure receiving portions of the contacts are raised upwardly (upwardly viewed in FIG. 10) so as to push the contact portions against the connecting object as described above. However, when the contact portions of the contacts are pushed against the connecting object in this manner, the contact portions are raised upwardly (upwardly viewed in FIG. 10) about fixed portions of the contacts as fulcrums by a reaction force derived from the connecting object such as the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and the elastic portions are also raised upwardly (upwardly viewed in FIG. 10), with the result that the function described above for bringing the contact portions of the contacts into contact with the connecting object would be inhibited and the connection between the contacts and the connecting object would become unstable. These problems remain to be solved.
With the connector having the upper and lower contacts of two kinds as disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, a connecting object is embraced by the upper and lower contacts by pushing the upper contacts against the connecting object so that the aforementioned problems are particularly acute. In more detail, when the upper contacts are raised upwardly (upwardly viewed in FIG. 10), the pushing force becomes weak so that the upper and lower contacts could not embrace the connecting object, thereby resulting in a more unstable connection between the connecting object and the contacts to give rise to a problem.
Even with the case using the locking members having the construction the same as that of the contacts as disclosed in the Patent Literatures 3 and 4, there would be a possibility of the engaging portion engaging a connecting object being raised upwardly (upwardly viewed in FIG. 10) in the same manner as described above so that there is a risk that the holding force for the connecting object becomes weak.
In recent years, the requirements for more reduced overall height and more miniaturization have put severe pressure on connectors. In the case that patterns are provided in a row only one surface of a flexible printed circuit board, pitches of patterns of less than 0.4 mm are generally impossible. In order to comply with the requirement for narrower pitches, it may be considered to arrange patterns to be alternately staggered. Even with the patterns arranged to be alternately staggered, however, pitches of patterns of less than 0.25 mm are impossible. In the case of patterns arranged to be staggered, moreover, if a fitting depth is selected to be shorter in order to achieve a reduced overall height and a more miniaturization of the connector, there would be a risk of contacts being dislodged from the patterns, resulting in defective or failed electrical connection. In recent years, there have been increasing demands for more reduced overall height and more miniaturization of connectors and at the same time even stronger holding-force for flexible printed circuit boards.